An estimated 2,000 deaths from lung cancer are attributed to asbestos exposure each year, and while these figures are slowly decreasing, another illness associated with asbestos is sadly on the rise. Mesothelioma, a more specific form of cancer that often originates in the lung lining, can be caused by a much lower exposure to asbestos and is the cause of an increasing number of deaths. The European Parliament is therefore considering introducing a complete removal of asbestos particles in public and commercial buildings to prevent illness and fatalities – policies which are already in place in Australia and Poland.
After centuries of use, the asbestos industry was established in 1858 when companies began mining the material specifically for industrial insulation. Indeed, the substance is still mined today in countries such as Russia, Brazil, China and Kazakhstan.
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